ACC Championship game not too far away

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Every Atlantic Coast Conference football team has played at least five games, more than enough time to have found their identity or beat a hasty trip back to the drawing board.

Beginning this year, that issue takes on new meaning. The question of where a team is will be answered by where it's going - or not going - on the first weekend of December.

The first ACC Championship football game, matching the Atlantic and Coastal division winners, is scheduled for Dec. 3 at Alltel Stadium. When that game kicks off, the ACC will join the Southeastern and Big 12 conferences in holding title games that will determine a Bowl Championship Series representative.

Until one week ago, Florida State (Atlantic) and Virginia Tech (Coastal) appeared headed for a confrontation and a blockbuster game. That still might be the case, but Virginia's upset of the Seminoles last week dropped Florida State into a first-place tie with Boston College (3-1) in its division, with Maryland (2-1) a half-game behind.

Virginia Tech has a one-game lead over Miami (2-1) in the Coastal Division, with the next nearest team (Virginia 2-2) a distant two games behind in the loss column. But if the Hokies slip, the Hurricanes will be poised to take advantage and erase their season-opening loss to the Seminoles.

Either way, Gator Bowl Association president Rick Catlett, whose organization is running the game for the ACC, expects a good show for the fans at Alltell and for the national television audience watching on ABC.

"If Florida State, Miami or Virginia Tech are involved, I think you've got a pretty easy sellout," he said. "FSU vs. Virginia Tech would be huge. An FSU-Miami rematch is huge because any time those two teams play, the whole country watches. But if Boston College or Maryland or Virginia gets in the game, we also expect fans from those schools to support the game well."

But fans, especially on the First Coast, apparently are waiting for the situation to play out - approximately 21,000 tickets remain available. By contrast, the SEC Championship game sold out by the end of July - the fifth consecutive year that was done before a single team had reported for summer practice.

However, the ACC game is out-pacing the Big 12's in ticket sales. The Big 12 office reported this week that more than 25,000 tickets remain for that title game in Houston.

As the season progresses, there are indications that ACC coaches and players are becoming more aware of what's required to reach Jacksonville.

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said the loss to Virginia, if nothing else, has forced his team to put aside thoughts of a national championship and focus on the only avenue left to a BCS bowl.

"When you get beat, the first thing you have to do is sit down and say, 'OK, we've got to re-direct," Bowden said earlier this week. "It's obvious that our goal is to win that division and get in that game (the ACC championship). Forget everything else."

"That's the only thing we can control now," he said. "We can't control the national championship. . . . The only thing we can control is winning out, getting to the ACC championship and winning that game. From there, who knows what could happen?" Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said the title game likely has been on players' and coaches' minds since the season began.

"Everybody understands the excitement associated with that game," he said. "Every team in the league has had that as a goal."

A conference championship game also gives teams a chance to recover from an early-season loss. While Miami's Sept. 5 defeat at Florida State counts in the division standings, Hurricanes coach Larry Coker pointed out that the Seminoles aren't the team they're chasing. It's Virginia Tech, and the Hurricanes have a chance to overtake the Hokies when they play Nov. 5.

"The ACC (championship) game makes it possible to get back," he said. "We lost a game early, but we still have a lot to play for. (The championship game) gives you hope."

But with that hope must come the faith that teams in contention can negotiate the remaining traps on their schedule. A lot can happen, and Catlett said every week's set of games will only spur more interest in the ACC championship.

"ACC fans will be playing that game of, 'If this team beats this team, we're only a game behind,' and what the head-to-head matchups mean," Catlett said. "I think they're seeing very quickly what people on the campuses of SEC schools know about that conference's championship game."

ACC officials are optimistic that Alltel Stadium will be packed.

"I think there's no question that we'll sell out," said Jeff Elliott, the ACC's associate commissioner for administration. "Obviously, the first year is a new experience, but things have gone smoothly."

Elliott said having the GBA run the game has proven valuable.

"Having had one of our teams in the Gator Bowl the last 10 years has been helpful, since we know the stadium, the area and Rick's people," Elliott said. "And they do such a great job running big games, that there's a certain comfort level we've had going in."

All that's left is to produce the two teams. Five more weeks of football will do just that.